


Not alone

by rainbow_reindeer



Category: Don't Starve (Video Game)
Genre: Don't Starve Together, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, Webber is cute, Wendy is depressed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-15
Packaged: 2019-05-07 12:10:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14670821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbow_reindeer/pseuds/rainbow_reindeer
Summary: Right in front of her, far too close for any comfort, her eyes noted an extreme close up of a spider face. Tons of black, scratchy short hair covering it tightly; pieces of web dangling in between; the terrifying experience of maintaining eye contact quadrupled; gross, wiggling palps… She shrieked in a high voice, immediately hiding under the covers. Worst of all, however, were the teeth, and the traumatic image didn’t seem to intent to leave her memory anytime soon; all the sharpness that could murder her in a heartbeat on display, since the spider seemed to be… smiling? That was surely strange.WebWen fluff, enjoy xx





	Not alone

At least she wasn’t alone.

The world Wendy found herself in was dangerous and terrifying, and even if she often spoke of death, her instincts still pressed her towards survival. Despite wishing for darkness, she lit up the campfire every twilight to avoid the demons lurking where she couldn’t see. Despite envying the skeletons she found on her way for their eternal peace, she fought back or fled when attacked, healed herself when wounded, avoided pig villages during the full moon, and nourished herself properly. At first, she couldn’t come to terms with why she kept doing it, why she couldn’t at least be brave, fulfill her dream and become reunited with her sister counterpart like she always wished for...

When the flower that smelled of Abigail has finally bloomed, the thoughts cluttering her head disappeared for a while. The presence of someone close, even if just in a form of a ghost, gave her an actual, understandable purpose to keep going. But days passed and talking to someone that never responded stopped being helpful. Even if she always enjoyed some loneliness once in a while… The one wish she acquired during Abby’s funeral came back. Like a parasite, it clawed at her head, until the world was once again bleaker than the darkness of death. Once again, she was keeping up the vegetation for weeks, as if she could never stop. Eat, fight, heal, sleep, in daily cycles, mechanically, until all the strength she had saved inside her small, still childish body, worn away.

First, she stopped saving up crops for the next winter.

Then, she began to sleep even during the day, unable to look at the sun anymore.

She let the turkeys steal her berries without fighting back.

And eventually, she couldn’t even find enough strength to find some food when starving.

Abigail seemed to be worried, even if all she could see were her ghost eyes. She didn’t keep the distance anymore, flying closer to Wendy, guarding over her at nights and lighting up her face with her own body, but even this care couldn’t give the girl her will to live back.

It was quite certain, another twin is going to leave the world soon too.

 

Wendy opened her heavy eyelids to see the needles of the evergreen sprinkled with snow. Her body was aching; her organism already began to eat itself up in a last desperate attempt to halt the hunger, and now the piercing cold raised the pain a few levels up. Abigail wasn’t within her sight- probably once again she wandered off a bit to fight anyone who’d like to attack her motionless, dying sister. There were many who would…Shadow Creatures, killer bees, but worst of all, the terrifying spiders… she was grateful for Abby, of course, regardless of how devoid of meaning her attempts were. As she closed her eyes again, a surprisingly calm thought crossed her head. Her time has finally come. The snow was just giving her a most aesthetic, natural funeral one could possibly wish for.

Abby should’ve had one like that too.

***

She was awoken by the crackling of fire and peculiar, scratchy humming. The pain wasn’t there anymore, her stomach seemed full... From one of the pockets, she could feel a strange warmth spread throughout her tired body. Obviously, a thermal stone, which she didn’t even prototype before…

\- Hello?- she tried to get slightly up on her elbows to see who saved her this time, but a twinge in her back successfully got her to lie down again. The humming was replaced by quick steps in her direction. She tensed up, ready for the worst.

\- Hello!!- a hoarse, but cheerful boy’s voice greeted her and the person leaned over her. Except the person wasn’t a boy. It wasn’t even a person…

Was her dying body giving her nightmares?

Right in front of her, far too close for any comfort, her eyes noted an extreme close up of a spider face. Tons of black, scratchy short hair covering it tightly; pieces of web dangling in between; the terrifying experience of maintaining eye contact quadrupled; gross, wiggling palps… She shrieked in a high voice, immediately hiding under the covers. Worst of all, however, were the teeth, and the traumatic image didn’t seem to intent to leave her memory anytime soon; all the sharpness that could murder her in a heartbeat on display, since the spider seemed to be… smiling? That was surely strange.

\- Hello, girl! - she heard the voice again, and only then did she realize that the fact of spider speaking didn’t fall into the categories of a normal experience either. Moreover, even if she’d ever try to imagine a spider voice it wouldn’t sound so…cheerful and excitable… Without doubt. – Don’t be scared! I don’t hurt! I make friends!

Friends. She shivered at the word. Eughh. 90% of the times her parents made her go out and try to “make friends” ended up miserably, and all she ever wished for was to be back home all alone. Maybe just with Abigail by her side… - Go away! – she squeaked quietly from underneath the blanket, attempting to dig a bit and hide underground if necessary – You’re a spider, I don’t trust you…

\- I’m half human actually! – a spider leg got to her safe place, attempting to shake her own. She flinched away in disgust. – I’m Webber, nice to meet you! You were almost dead just a while ago…

\- You should’ve let me die. – her retort ringed in the air- That’s what I wanted. To be with my sister. I didn’t need saving…

\- You have a sister? – to her increasing annoyance, the hoarse voice was becoming more and more buzzing, hence higher, which didn’t go easy on her ears. Perhaps that was the reason spiders never spoke… these sounds were surely not the most pleasant to listen to… not to mention far too loud for her taste – I always wanted one! And you were kind of asking for help…

\- My sister is dead. Can you please stop screaming? – her eyes widened and she glanced above the blanket – I was? Sounds made up.

\- Oh… Is she a ghost now? I saw a ghost close by, near the beefalos! Was it your sister? She’s super scary!

\- Probably. Where is she now? Was I really asking for help?

The spider nodded. As they spoke, Wendy was slowly getting used to the sight of the wiggling palps and teeth… she wasn’t sure yet if the feeling of comfort was a false one, used by Webber to lure her as an easy prey, or was it real. – Very mumbly, but you said something like… “help… Ally… anyone”? I saw her somewhere around here!- he waved in the general left direction. Wendy rolled her eyes and attempted to get up on her elbows.

\- I meant Abby. Abigail. It’s my sister’s name. I have to find her. – with a groan, she laid down again, as the pain accumulated in her back throughout the weeks of inaction started bashing out on her. Karma sure wasn’t nice. Like everything in this or any other world…

\- Pretty name, what’s yours? I can help you find her but…

It wasn’t ideal to have to rely on a spider now… but apparently, if she survived, she had no other choice. Abigail could need her, she always had a tendency to get into trouble and fights far exceeding her abilities. It could be simply dangerous to wait any longer. Assuming nothing bad happened to her sister yet. If she’d lose her again…

Better not think about it.

\- Wendy… But? I need her here.

The black hair on Webber’s face bristled up and he shivered slightly. Looking away, he couldn’t see Wendy raise her eyebrow.

\- I just… she’s… I mean…

\- What?

\- ….a ghost – the word seemed to get stuck in his throat for a while before rolling of his lips. Wendy wasn’t sure if it was just her, but the spider actually seemed to get paler despite all the hairiness…

\- Don’t tell me you’re scared of ghosts… You’re a spider, you’re the scary one…

\- You can’t even touch ghosts!

\- And spiders have eight eyes! And hairy legs…

\- How is that scary? Ghosts always attack me-

\- Spiders attack me!

\- They’re nice, they just don’t want you to come to their houses without invitation, I’m sure…

\- Abigail always only attacks anyone to protect me. She’s the best sister anyone could wish for.

Simultaneously, they both took a deep breath in, recovering from the rapid exchange. Webber smiled slightly, but Wendy was still observing his reactions with a grain of a salt. Although it seemed comforting that spiders had their fears too…

\- I’m sure she is… sorry, I’m just generally scaredy.

\- I’m sure you’re nice too.

Eughh. With every increase in happiness on Webber’s face, her discomfort was rising exponentially. Despite her words and the kindness that he radiated with, the sharp fangs didn’t get any less intimidating…

\- I’ll try to get your sister there. Not to be scared and all...

\- Thank you.- she nodded quickly. Honestly, she couldn’t wait for a moment of loneliness to think the whole peculiar situation she found herself in through almost as much as she desired good news on Abigail’s safety.- She won’t talk back, but she usually understands what I say. She should understand you too.

\- Yeah, I’m pretty close to being human! – Webber smiled wider and pet her with the distasteful hairy leg. Ewww. To her, he still seemed… nowhere close to human, but the touch felt surprisingly… nice. Not to mention, if someone told her a day before she’d be talking with a spider calmly, and a spider would help her out, she would probably laugh at such a statement loudly and wholeheartedly. Even if she never, ever laughed since Abby’s death.

\- You sure are- she responded reluctantly, just to be polite, but leaned in closer to the touch. Too late, as Webber was already backing away, ready to go… - I’ll be back soon if your sister doesn’t kill me! – he giggled and put on a stuffed, worn backpack.

She marveled at a sudden thought crossing her mind. That was even more unexpected than talking to a spider.

If it wasn’t for her worry for Abigail, she’d have probably asked Webber to stay for a little while longer before delving into her desired loneliness.

***

The sun was slowly passing on the horizon for what seemed like hours. After a while of intense thinking, Wendy delved into nothingness she was well acquainted with once again. Not even the sadness occupied her mind anymore; glued to a straw roll with the invisible hand of pain, she kept staring meaninglessly at the sky as time flowed by and the shadows began to elongate. Webber’s weird voice couldn’t be heard anywhere near her; neither could she see any light that always emanated from Abigail’s ghostly form.

Immobile physically, she also felt debilitated by worry.

The strange thoughts kept increasing. She wanted the spider to be back, even if he made her afraid. Even with his eight eyes and hairy legs, which actually were so pleasant in touch. Even with the sharp teeth, which actually, stuck out of his mouth in a funny way that made him quite cute. Even with the hoarse voice, which actually only spoke kind words. She wanted Abigail, despite the fact that she could never talk back to her. Although she was stuck in this world, not over an enormous loss of a loved one, forced to continue a life she truly despised, although she always found release in the peace of death…

Dying completely alone and being forever forgotten or becoming a lone ghost, with nothing to do but pointless haunting seemed much worse than living with at least someone close to her was.

There was no suffering worse than emptiness. At least when she saw this spider, or when Abby defended her, she felt something. She wasn’t utterly, detestably bored.

But now, she could just be losing both of them. Without an ability to even help out, pinned to the bed, so useless just because she gave up too easily before…

If something happened to them, she could never forgive herself. Or find any release, in life or death alike.

Forcing herself to overcome the physical bounds, hissing from pain, Wendy rolled off the straw roll and began to crawl in the direction where she saw Webber jump off towards, trying to catch butterflies with her bare hands on the way. The forest’s undergrowth scratched her sensitive body, drawing out blood at times, her back kept killing her, and hunting for flying creatures while lying down lied in the impossibility sphere. All she had to her advantage was a clear goal and perseverance…

Maybe she wasn’t able to help any of them fight whatever they fought, but… at least she could heal and take the danger away from them.

No one could die without her being able to help again. However blurry her vision became. No matter how much it hurt.

***

\- Wendy? Wendy! Please wake up!

She smiled awkwardly as she heard the weird voice and felt a hairy leg shaking her by the shoulder. Whether she was alive or dead, whether it was reality or a mere vision, Webber was there, and the pain wasn’t over. Yet it seemed that she was lying on something softer than roots and sticks now…

Grass area. She has reached her goal.

\- I…

\- Oh goodness, you’re okay!

She hesitated before opening her eyes, afraid the pleasant hallucination could just dissolve into thin air if she did. Yet, slowly light entered her pupils, and so did the shadow of Webber leaning over her just like he did before. So he saved her once again. And as always, she proved to be useless… maybe a problem… probably better off dead.

\- I’m sorry.- her gaze was empty as she looked up at him. Gradually, she began noticing that Webber didn’t look as good as he sounded…

\- What are you even doing here?- he rubbed his head, messing up the thick spider hair now stuck together with scabbing blood. His shoulders were hunched and knees bent as if it was hard for him to stay on two feet. Optimistic light in eyes, however, didn’t fade in the slightest.

\- I…was worried. You were gone for so long. I’m sorry. – she avoided eye contact, realizing how utterly stupid she must’ve sounded. They barely knew each other, after all.

\- It’s okay, no worries! I found your sister – the spider sat on the ground, no longer able to hold up. – We had to fight the beefalos though. They were in mating season… Abby didn’t want to run. Sorry, I’m a bit dizzy… – as he laid on the ground breathing heavily, she spotted Abigail, and she stretched her arm towards her, asking to fly closer. Wendy knew how impulsive her sister could be… it brought them some trouble in the past, and now again, she had to be the voice of reason of their pair. No matter what, she couldn’t let Abby get into trouble again anytime soon. Not when her light became so dim...

\- She…needs time to heal. Thank you for saving her…- with Webber’s reactions becoming increasingly concerning, she reached under her body, feeling about the pockets of her outworn dress. Fortunately, after all, she managed to catch a few butterflies on her way to there, despite all the adversities. She quickly swallowed one, and a dose of strength filled her up again. Enough to lift herself up on her shoulders, and pass the remaining wings to the spider, who now closed his eyes. Even under all the hair, she could see him get paler, and his panting was becoming alarmingly irregular. Perhaps, after all, she WAS needed there…

One hand shoved the butterflies inside the slightly parted mouth filled with the teeth that didn’t seem that repulsive anymore, while the other held the hairy chin up, helping the spidey boy swallow. Thoughts focused on reality at hand instead of pessimistic scenarios, Wendy dressed his wounds provisionally with a small piece of her dress. This spider HAD to live and she was surely going to ensure it from now on. At least until something finally kills her.

Before she even finished, Webber opened his eyes. Even if he was still pretty much massacred, at least now he breathed properly…

\- Hey… how did you…

\- I was prepared. – she retorted quickly. Honestly, she couldn’t wait for a moment of loneliness to think the whole peculiar situation she found herself in - You shouldn’t talk too much now. Rest.

\- I thought I can make it but… you saved me… you’re so strong!

\- I said rest.

With an intermittent giggle, Webber closed his eyes again, smile not disappearing from his mouth even as his chest started to rise and fall steadily, and his mind entered the realm of dreams. Wendy reached out for some grass and sticks, preparing a torch for the upcoming night. She was still extremely tired. One butterfly didn’t help much, she knew she has to go hunting again as soon as the sun rises. The effort was never-ending, and neither were the dangers.

But at least she turned out not to be all that useless. At least, she was called strong. And…

At least she wasn’t alone.


End file.
